Gefilte fish

Gefilte fish, meaning ‘stuffed’ fish, takes its name from its traditional preparation, where fish flesh was removed from the skin before being blended with other ingredients, then stuffed back into the fish and cooked whole. Today, fish mince is shaped into ovals for ease. Gefilte fish is enjoyed during Shabbat, as well as Passover.

Credit: Brett Stevens

• serves

  10

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 kg skinless boneless mixed white fish fillets, such as flathead, blue-eye cod (trevalla) and perch
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 30 g (¼ cup) matzo meal (fine) (see Note)
• 2 L fish stock
• 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 2mm-thick rounds
• Maror (red horseradish) and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Chilling time 2 hours

Instructions

Using a food processor, process fish to a rough paste. Add onion, all eggs and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and process to combine. Transfer to a bowl, add matzo meal and 60 ml iced water, and, using your hands, combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.

Fill a bowl with cold water. Dip your hands in water and shape 2 tablespoons of fish mixture into an oval and flatten the top. Repeat with remaining fish mixture and set aside.

Bring stock to the boil in a large saucepan and add fish ovals. Reduce heat to medium–low and cook for 35 minutes. Add carrots and cook for a further 10 minutes or until fish is just cooked and carrots are tender but still firm. Remove fish ovals and carrots with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl, discarding stock. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until completely cool.

Place carrots on top of gefilte fish, scatter with parsley and serve with the maror.

Note

• Matzo meal is available in the kosher section of select supermarkets and specialty food shops.

Photography Brett Stevens.

As seen in Feast magazine, May 2014, Issue 31. For more recipes and articles, pick up a copy of this month's Feast magazine or check out our great subscriptions offers here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.